CITIZENS  OF  MICHIGAN, 


SHOWING 


THE  NECESSITY  OF  THE  EARLY  COMPLETION 


OF  THE 


GREAT  WESTERN  RAIL  WAY, 


B 


FRoJl 


DETROIT  TO  THE  NIAGARA  RIVER. 


DETROIT:  # 

HARMON,  BRODHEAI5  &  CO.,  PRINTERS. 


1851. 


*S5.4 


The  following  article  was  prepared  for  and  published  in  the  Detroit 
Free  Press.  The  subject  is  one  of  such  vital  importance  to  Mi¬ 
chigan,  that  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  publish  it  in  a  pamphlet 
form,  for  more  general  circulation  and  preservation.  The  facts  stated 
are  derived  from  the  most  authentic  sources.  The  distances  or  length 
of  the  various  lines  of  road  on  the  horth  and  south  shores  of  Lake  Erie, 
are  taken  from  the  Reports  of  Engineers,  and  may  be  relied  upon  as 
correct 

Detroit,  March  17,  1851. 


2.5'432. 


CANADA  RAILWAY. 


As  the  citizens  of  Michigan  will  soon  be  appealed  to  for  aid  to  help 
build  the  rail  road  from  Windsor,  opposite  this  city,  to  the  Niagara  riv¬ 
er,  it  will  be  well  to  examine  the  advantages  and  benefits  which  we  shall 
secure  by  the  early  completion  of  this  road.  That  the  construction  of 
railways  are  of  great  benefit  to  the  country,  no  one  will  deny.  Bos¬ 
ton  has  expended  millions  of  dollars  to  open  communications  with  the 
interior  of  New  England,  and  has  reaped  a  rich  reward  in  the  increase 
of  her  trade,  and  in  the  value  of  her  real  estate.  New  York  for  a  long 
period  felt  secure  in  her  position,  and  thought  to  bid  defiance  to  all  the 
efforts  of  her  rivals,  Boston,  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  but  found  at  last 
it  was  necessary  to  put  forth  her  mighty  energies  to  maintain  her  position 
as  the  great  emporium  of  the  continent.  These  efforts  of  the  rival  cities, 
have  brought  in  to  existence  several  lines  of  railways,  starting  from 
their  respective  points,  and  having  for  their  object  to  command  and  con¬ 
trol  the  trade  and  travel  of  the  “Great  West.” 

The  several  lines  having  this  object  in  view,  are  the  roads  from  Bos¬ 
ton  to  Ogdensburg,  the  roads  leading  from  Boston  and  New  York  to 
Buffalo,  and  from  thence  to  be  pushed  forward  on  the  south  shore  of 
Lake  Erie,  through  Ohio  and  Indiana  to  St,  Louis;  the  Pennsylvania 
road  leading  from  Philadelphia  to  Pittsburgh,  and  from  thence  connect¬ 
ing  with  the  great  Central  Route  through  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois  to 
Missouri ;  and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  rail  road,  connecting  Baltimore 
with  the  central  roads  of  Ohio/  and  thus  finding  their  way  to  St.  Louis. 

It  will  be  seen  that  all  these  routed  fail  to  reach  us,  unless  we  can  have 
a  road  constructed  through  the  Province  of  Upper  Canada,  from  Nia¬ 
gara  to  the  Detroit  or  St.  Clair  river,  and  there  connecting  with  the 
Michigan  Central  Railway. 

Within  a  year  from  the  present  time,  four  of  these  great  lines  of 
railway  will  reach  Ohio,  viz:  the  New  York  central  line,  by  the  Lake 
shore  road,  the  New  York  and  Erie  road,  the  Pennsylvania  and  Pitts¬ 
burgh,  and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  road.  While  these  roads  are  being 
pushed  forward  with  all  the  celerity  attainable  by  active  and  energetic 
men,  having  an  unlimited  amount  of  money  at  their  command,  Ohio 
and  Indiana  are  pushing  forward  their  roads  so  as  to  meet  them,  and  Illi¬ 
nois  has  just  chartered  a  road  with  branches  from  Cairo  to  Chicago, 
which  runs  the  whole  length  of  the  State,  to  be  finished  in  two  years, 
and  Wisconsin  is  already  moving  so  as  to  connect  with  these  various 
lines,  or  channels  of  communication  with  the  great  Atlantic  cities. 


6 


•  While  we  ^ee  a|l  these  active  operations  going  on  around  us,  for  the 
purpose  of  furnishing  all  of  the  northwestern  states  with  an  easy  access 
and  continuous  communication  with  New  York,  what  have  the  citizens 
of  Michigan  done,  or  what  do  they  propose  to  do  towards  opening  such 
roads  as  may  be  necessary  to  connect  with  some  one  or  more  of  the 
lines  of  communication.  As  yet  she  has  done  nothing.  Not  a  dollar 
has  been  subscribed,  nor  an  effort  been  made  to  procure  such  a  sub¬ 
scription.  None  of  these  lines  will  help  nine-tenths  of  the  territory 
of  our  State.  The  nearest  will  be  the  south  shore  road,  touching  at  To¬ 
ledo  and  running  thence  west  through  the  northern  counties  of  Indiana, 
or  perhaps  for  a  short  time  over  the  Southern  Railroad,  if  that  is  con¬ 
tinued  west  from  its  present  terminus.  All  these  lines  are  far  to  the 
south  of  us,  with  no  means  to  connect  with  them,  and  even  if  we  had  the 
means,  not  desirable,  by  reason  of  the  greatly  increased  distance  over 
the  Canada  route. 

Unless  we  move  ourselves  and  induce  others  to  do  so  also,  we  may 
rest  assured  that  in  less  then  three  years,  and  probably  before  our 
legislature  will  meet  again,  Michigan  will  be  far  behind  all  of  her  sister 
states  of  the  West  as  to  facilities  for  trade  and  commerce.  Michigan, 
with  all  of  her  natural  adventages,  cannot  compete  with  those  lying  far¬ 
ther  from  market  than  she  does.  We  shall  be  locked  up  by  the  ice 
for  three,  and  perhaps  five  months  of  the  year — our  business  suspend¬ 
ed,  our  markets  dormant — while  our  less  favored  competitors,  from  their 
own  activity  and  perseverance,  by  putting  their  own  shoulders  to  the 
wheel  instead  of  calling  for  others  to  help,  without  an  effort  themselves, 
will  enjoy  an  active  business  for  the  entire  year  without  any  hindrance 
or  obstruction. 

No  one  can  well  calculate  the  disadvantages  under  which  a  com¬ 
munity  or  state  would  labor,  which  was  cut  off  for  even  one-third  of 
the  year,  from  a  market,  compared  with  one  always  having  a  rapid  and 
easy  communication.  It  is  almost  like  the  loss  of  one-third  of  the  ac¬ 
tive  energies  of  the  business  men  of  the  state.  If  indolence  in  indi¬ 
viduals  is  disastrous,  so  it  is  to  states.  And  no  amount  of  activity  on 
our  part,  for  the  eight  months  when  navigation  is  open,  will  compensate 
for  the  loss  of  time  when  we  are  shut  off  from  all  communication 
save  by  the  stage  coach. 

It  is  well  known  that  thousands  upon  thousands  are  prevented  from 
even  visiting  us  in  the  summer  season  by  reason  of  fear  of  crossing 
Lake  Erie,  while  in  the  winter  we  see  no  one,  who  is  not  compelled  by 
absolute  necessity  to  come  here.  We  have  complained  of  the  travel 
and  emigration  passing  by  us,  but  the  past  is  nothing  to  what  the  future 
will  be,  if  we  permit  the  great  fines  p  enetrating  all  of  the  surrounding 
states  to  be  completed  without  making  one  effort  to  bring  them  to  our 
own  state.  Instead  of  a  few  passing  by,  they  will  all  go  where  we 
shall  never  see  them.  What  inducement  can  we  hold  out  to  the  emi¬ 
grant  when  he  finds  that  for  one-third  of  the  time  he  is  shut  out  from 
all  active  business  communication  with  the  seaboard,  as  against  those 
states  having  a  continuous  fine  of  railway.  We  shall  stand  no  chance. 


1 


The  rich  and  fertile  lands  of  the  northern  portion  of  our  state  will  re¬ 
main  an  uncultivated  wilderness,  while  the  surrounding  states  will 
flourish  like  a  garden.  In  years  past,  it  has  been  deemed  of  sufficient 
importance  to  our  state  to  appoint  special  agents  to  visit  New  York  for 
the  purpose  of  inducing  emigrants  to  visit  and  settle  within  our  state. 
This  course  was  deemed  necessary  when  the  great  thoroughfare  was 
by  water,  and  brought  all  of  these  emigrants  in  sight  of  Michigan.  How 
much  more  difficult  will  it  be  to  turn  emigration  here  when  the  great 
thoroughfare  shall  pass  entirely  south  of  us,  as  it  will,  unless  the  Can¬ 
ada  road  is  completed.  Unless  we  can  obtain  a  fair  proportion  of  this 
emigration,  we  shall  find  our  state  far  behind  the  other  western  states 
at  the  next  census. 

If  we  had  no  other  argument  to  urge  but  the  one  already  stated, 
that  alone  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  induce  us,  as  individuals,  and  a  state, 
to  use  every  effort  within  our  means  to  open  a  communication  with  the 
rail  roads  of  New  York,  through  Canada. 

But  there  are  other  reasons  why  we  should  aid  this  project,  reasons 
which  should  convince  all  having  the  interests  of  Michigan  at  heart, 
some  of  which  we  will  allude  to  before  we  are  done  with  this  subject 

The  importance  of  the  speedy  construction  of  this  road  through  Can¬ 
ada,  so  far  as  it  will  have  an  effect  upon  emigration  to  this  state,  has 
been  alluded  to.  As  you  increase  a  community  in  numbers,  you  in¬ 
crease  the  talent  and  capacity.  To  give  the  most  active  and  profit¬ 
able  employment  to  this  business  capacity,  to  make  their  industry  the 
most  profitable,  requires  a  great  diversity  of  pursuits.  Hence,  it  has 
always  been  an  object  with  those  having  the  control  of  state  affairs,  to 
induce,  as  far  as  practicable  without  too  much  interference  with  indi¬ 
vidual  interests,  the  establishment  of  manufactories  of  various  kinds,  in 
all  agricultural  districts.  But  it  is  settled  by  the  experience  of  many 
years  that  manufacturing  cannot  be  carried  on  successfully  on  a  large 
scale,  when  the  communication  with  the  market  is  not  continuous  and 
reliable. 

It  is  with  reference  to  the  manufacturing  interests  we  wish  now  to 
present  the  importance  of  this  rail  road  through  Canada. 

Our  present  able  Governor  in  his  last  message  alluded  to  the  vast 
amount  of  water  power  within  this  state,  which  might  profitably  be  used 
for  manufacturing  and  mechanical  purposes.  When  will  this  now  un¬ 
employed  force  be  brought  into  requisition  ?  When  the  population  within 
our  own  state  and  in  its  immediate  vicinity  shall  need  it — (which  must 
be  many  years,  if  we  let  the  tide  of  emigration  pass  around  us  instead 
of  through  the  state) — or  when  there  are  safe,  cheap,  speedy,  continuous 
and  reliable  modes  of  transportation  connecting  those  districts  fitted  for 
manufacturing,  with  those  places  where  the  articles  manufactured  will 
always  find  a  sure  and  fair  market. 

The  manufactory  of  cotton  was  not  attempted  in  Rochester,  N.  Y., 
until  the  Albany  and  Buffalo  rail  roads  were  allowed  to  tarry  freight, 
when  the  canal  was  closed.  There  are  factories  and  machinery  there 
now  which  would  do  credit  to  any  community,  and  the  business  earned 


8 


on  as  successfully  as  in  the  eastern  states,  the  low  price  of  the  ne¬ 
cessaries  of  life  quite  outweighing  the  extra  cost  in  the  transportation 
of  that  portion  of  the  stock  and  cloths  which  have  to  go  and  come  from 
an  eastern  market.  Under  the  stimulus  of  these  new  enterprises,  the 
city,  which  before  had  nearly  ceased  to  grow,  has  taken  a  new  start, 
and  is  now  increasing  as  rapidly  as  at  any  former  period,  and  furnishing 
a  much  better  market  than  ever  before,  for  the  produce  of  the  sur¬ 
rounding  country. 

We  find  the  same  thing  true  with  other  places.  Indeed  manufacto¬ 
ries  of  any  kind  cannot  be  supported  without  an  easy,  safe  and  speedy 
access  to  market.  Compel  a  manufacturing  association  of  any  descrip¬ 
tion  to  hold  its  stock  of  raw  material  for  nearly  half  the  year,  with 
no  outlet  for  its  manufactured  articles  for  more  than  half  of  the  year, 
and  the  amount  of  its  dead  capital  compared  with  its  active  capital,  is 
so  large  as  to  make  it  difficult  if  not  wholly  impossible  to  compete  with 
those  more  favorably  situated  in  the  same  business.  This  is  especially 
burdensome  and  discouraging  in  a  state  like  our  own,  where  the  value 
of  capital  is  greater  than  it  is  in  NewT  York  and  New  England. 

It  is  this  easy  access  to  market  throughout  the  entire  year,  by  the 
construction  of  railways,  which  has  given  New  England  such  a  start 
of  all  the  other  portions  of  the  Union  in  manufacturing. 

In  no  agricultural  community  is  the  policy  of  a  diversity  of  pursuits 
more  wise  than  where  the  chief  staple  is  wheat,  the  price  of  which  is 
very  fluctuating,  and  the  crop  the  most  uncertain  of  all  the  grains. 

No  state  is-  better  situated,  geographically  and  physically,  for  most 
kinds  of  manufacturing,  than  Michigan,  if  it  had  a  steady  and  reliable 
communication  with  the  eastern  markets  throughout  the  entire  year. 
Iron,  copper  and  coal  abound.  Water  power  is  abundant,  and  building- 
materials  cost  only  the  labor  of  putting  them  into  shape.  The  position 
of  this  state,  if  a  great  thoroughfare  can  be  made  to  and  through  it  for 
the  transit  of  the  raw  material  and  the  manufactured  article,  when 
ready  for  market,  is  unsurpassed.  Many  of  the  western  merchants 
would  find  it  for  their  interest  to  purchase  here,  rather  than  to  incur 
the  expense  of  seeking  the  same  articles  in  a  more  distant  market 
Our  iron  and  coal  beds  would  be  opened.  The  copper  from  the 
inexhaustable  mines  on  Lake  Superior  -would  be  manufactured  into 
such  articles  as  would  be  required  here,  instead  of  being  transpor¬ 
ted  to  Pittsburgh  or  Boston,  for  the  purpose  of  being  smelted.  And 
the  wool,  ranking  as  the  second  staple  article  of  the  state,  would  fur¬ 
nish  employment  for  more  labor  than  it  takes  to  grow  it. 

All  of  these  advantages,  direct  and  immediate,  to  our  state,  are  like¬ 
ly  to  be  lost  or  postponed  for  an  indefinite  period,  without  we  lend  some 
efficient  aid  to  the  construction  of  the  Canada  railway. 

We  have  treated  this  subject,  so  far,  as  one  of  gains,  to  be  secured 
to  our  state,  both  in  population  and  vastly  increased  business,  and  capi¬ 
tal,  by  aiding  this  road  by  a  liberal  subscription  of  stock.  But  now  we 
are  about  to  speak  of  the  daily  losses,  incurred  by  all  classes  of  the  com- 
mmunity,  for  want  of  such  a  communication.  Some  may  be  surprised 


9 


at  this  proposition,  but  it  is  nevertheless  true.  No  one  will  deny  but 
that  the  merchant  requires  a  much  larger  capital  to  do  a  safe  business 
here  than  he  would,  were  he  not  cut  off  from  supplies  for  so  large  a  part 
of  the  year.  This  puts  the  profitable  mercantile  business  into  fewer 
hands,  who  can  control  the  larger  means  necessary  to  that  business 
here,  above  what  is  necessary  to  do  the  same  business  in  more  favored 
localities,  while  the  farmer  and  the  mechanic,  constituting  the  cus¬ 
tomers  of  these  merchants  throughout  the  whole  State,  have  to  pay 
for  the  idleness  of  this  extra  capital  required  in  the  business,  as  well 
as  for  many  other  of  the  losses  and  disadvantages  of  locality,  by  the 
increased  price  necessarily  put  upon  every  thing  in  the  retail  trade. 

The  sale  of  the  various  kinds  of  merchandize  is  regulated  as  to  the 
quantity,  to  a  considerable  extent  by  the  price  and  quantity  of  produce 
with  which  the  great  majority  of  our  people  are  directly  or  indirectly  to 
pay  for  their  goods.  After  navigation  closes,  if  the  price  of  produce 
falls  below  the  average,  the  merchant  finds  his  shelves  loaded  with 
goods,  which  he  cannot  sell,  and  he  is  obliged  to  carry  them  over  to 
another  season,  for  sale  returns.  The  depreciation  of  value  in  such 
cases  is  very  great,  and  the  purchaser  is  compelled  to  take  up  with 
an  inferior  article,  and  one  perhaps  out  of  date,  because  of  the  mis¬ 
fortune  compelling  the  trader  to  hold  them  over.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  price  of  produce  should  be  largely  above  the  estimated  or 
usual  rates,  the  merchant  finds  himself  short,  and  additional  prices  to 
the  consumer  are  the  necessary  consequence. 

But  these  losses  do  not  arise  alone  from  fluctuation  in  the  price  of 
our  staple  commodities.  No  merchant,  however  well  informed,  can 
forsee  the  wants  of  his  customers  for  a  long  time  ahead,  so  perfectly  as 
not  to  over-purchase,  or  under  purchase,  to  greater  or  less  extent,  a 
considerable  proportion  of  the  articles  constituting  his  stock.  The 
losses  from  causes  of  this  nature,  probably  amount  to  at  least  twice 
or  three  times  as  much  as  the  loss  of  interest,  upon  the  value  of 
goods  purchased  too  early  or  out  of  season,  because  they  cannot  be 
brought  here  at  a  later  period,  when  they  are  actually  required,  be¬ 
cause  navigation  is  suspended. 

Before  the  completion  of  the  Erie  canal  the  merchants  residing  in 
the  North-west,  visited  New  York  but  once  in  the  year,  and  were 
necessarily  compelled  to  purchase  a  stock  of  goods  sufficient  to  last  for 
the  year.  The  completion  of  that  work  made  a  vast  change  in  this 
respect,  and  the  completion  of  the  Railroads  through  New  York  has 
worked  almost  as  much  of  a  change  as  the  canal.  Now  many  of  our 
merchants  purchase  three  or  four  times  during  the  season  of  naviga¬ 
tion,  rather  than  incur  the  loss  of  interest  and  the  danger  of  accumu¬ 
lating  an  unsalable  tock  of  goods  by  purchasing  in  the  spring  and 
fall  alone. 

We  had  hoped  to  have  been  able  to  lay  before  our  readers  some 
statistics  which  would  have  shown  the  loss  to  various  interests  for  want 
of  a  railroad  from  here  to  Buffalo.  But  we  have  been  disappointed. 
We  can  only  approximate  to  it.  The  imports  will  be,  by  the  time  the 


10 


Road  could  be  finished,  if  commenced  now,  about  $8,000,000 — say- 
eight  millions  of  dollars  per  annum. .  If  instead  of  buying  this  stock  in 
the  spring  and  fall,  in  equal  proportions,  it  was  purchased  as  the 
community  required,  the  stock  constantly  on  hand  upon  which  interest 
is  paid  would  not  be  more  than  one-half,  or  at  furthest  not  over 
three-fourths  what  it  is  now.  This  would  be  a  saving  of  interest  on 
one-fourth’of  the  purchase,  which  is  equal  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
-two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  or  more  than  our 
entire  State  expenses  proper.  The  depreciation  in  the  value  of  these 
goods  purchased  out  of  time,  will  amount  to  nearly  as  much  more — 
and  this  loss  has  mainly  to  be  borne  by  the  consumers  of  the  goods,  in 
the  shape  of  an  enhanced  price  upon  every  article  they  are  compelled 
to  purchase. 

There  are  other  losses  of  this  kind,  which  fall  more  exclusively  upon 
the  producer.  All  along  the  line  of  Railroad  in  New  York,  beef  and 
pork  are  taken  to  New  York  and  Boston  fresh,  and  find  a  far  better 
market  than  when  salted.  The  average  price  paid  for  pork  at  Roches¬ 
ter,  New  York,  we  are  informed,  during  the  winter,  was  five  and 
half  cents,  while  here  it  did  not  exceed  three  and  a  half  cents,  a  dif¬ 
ference  of  forty  dollars  a  ton,  all  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  it  was 
taken  to  market  fresh  and  here  it  had  to  be  salted  and  packed. 

The  difference  between  the  price  of  flour  during  the  winter  season, 
when  the  farmer  must  sell  sufficient  to  meet  his  taxes  and  his  annual 
payments  for  goods,  in  this  State  and  New  York,  oftentimes  exceeds 
by  double  the  cost  of  transportation.  This  loss  falls  upon  the  produ¬ 
cer,  for  want  of  a  mode  of  reaching  market  which  will  be  permanent 
all  the  year. 

There  is  another  loss  more  serious,  we  think,  than  the  one  men¬ 
tioned,  connected  with  the  grain  trade.  The  short  time  between 
the  harvesting  of  the  crops  and  the  close  of  navigation,  compels  every 
one  to  throw  his  stock  into  market,  and  the  consequence  is  that  it  is 
overstocked,  freights  become  exhorbitant,  and  the  loss  of  interest  and 
storage  in  New  York  while  awaiting  a  sale,  is  ruinous  to  the  purchas¬ 
er.  Flour  which  was  shipped  from  here  last  fall  in  November,  upon 
which  an  advance  of  three  dollars  and  forty  cents  was  obtained,  will 
not  sell  now  for  more  than  enough  to  refund  the  advance,  and  costs  of 
freight,  and  various  charges  consequent  upon  sending  it  to  market  when 
the  avenues  are  crowded,  <fcc.,  although  the  price  during  the  winter 
of  the  first  quality  of  Michigan  flour  has  been  five  dollars.  The  same 
sceneps  re-enacted  in  the  spring — a  rush  of  flour,  high  freights,  an  over¬ 
stocked  market,  a  decline  in  prices  and  ruinous  losses.  This  is  the 
routine  every  year,  or  twice  a  year,  and  the  only  remedy,  or  even  par¬ 
tial  remedy,  is  to  open  a  channel  tomarket  which  will  not  be  closed  by 
cold  weather. 

It  is  within  the  recollection  of  many  of  our  readers,  that  while  the 
price  of  flour  here  was  six  dollars  a  barrel,  it  was  ten  dollars  in  New 
York,  a  difference  of  more  than  four  times  the  cost  of  transportation 
by  Railway.  During  the  winter  months  the  increase  of  price  in 


11 


New  York  has  but  little  effect  upon  our  market,  because  we  must 
wait  until  summer,  before  we  can  reach  that  market.  The  losses 
which  the  farmers  of  Michigan  have  sustained  since  we  commenced 
exporting  flour,  for  the  want  of  a  safe,  cheap  winter  communication 
with  New  York,  would  have  nearly  constructed  the  road  from  here 
to  Buffalo,  through  Canada. 

That  we  are  subject  to  all  the  inconveniences  and  losses  we  have  men¬ 
tioned,  is  certain.  The  evil  being  admitted,  the  only  question  left  for 
us  to  consider  is,  where  we  can  find  a  remedy,  and  whether  it  is  with¬ 
in  our  reach.  The  completion  of  the  railways  around  the  south  shore 
of  Lake  Erie,  it  is  evident,  will  not  be  available  to  a  great  proportion 
of  the  people  of  this  state,  and  we  cannot  therefore  look  to  them  as  an  ef¬ 
fectual  remedy.  Were  such  roads  completed,  with  branches  through 
the  various  portions  of  the  state,  connecting  with  this  main  line,  still  the 
increased  distance  to  pass  round  Lake  Erie  is  such,  that  a  greater 
portion  of  our  state  would  be  farther  from  market  than  Indiana.  The 
expense  of  transporting  all  of  our  exports  and  imports  over  this  in¬ 
creased  distance  must  be  borne  by  our  own  citizens.  So  far  as  this 
increased  expense  enters  into  our  trade,  so  far  we  are  in  inferior  posi¬ 
tion  to  our  neighbors.  Can  we  help  ourselves  ?  We  believe  so. 

The  charter  of  the  Great  Western  Railway  is  all  that  can  be  desired 
for  the  construction  of  a  road  from  Windsor  to  Hamilton  and  the  Sus¬ 
pension  bridge  at  Niagara.  No  further  legislation  is  required  in  Canada. 
The  company  is  fully  and  efficiently  organized,  the  route  has  been  sur¬ 
veyed  by  able  and  competent  engineers,  the  plans  all  completed,  and 
the  entire  line  located,  and  contracts  entered  into  for  grading  and  su¬ 
perstructure  from  the  Suspension  bridge  via  Hamilton,  London,  to 
Windsor,  opposite  the  city  of  Detroit.  Of  the  feasibility  of  the  route, 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  The  chief  engineer  in  his  report  says,  that 
“on  the  whole  distance  of 228  miles ,  over  217  miles  is  'perfectly  straight , 
“and  the  length  of  the  located  line  differs  less  than  four  miles  from  an 
“air  line  drawn  between  the  same  points .”  I  know  of  no  case  in  this 
“country  or  elsewhere,  comparable  with  this,  and  it  is  doubtful  wheth¬ 
er  another  location  of  the  same  extent  can  be  found  on  the  continent 
“so  well  adapted  to  the  attainment  of  high  velocity  and  great  economy 
“of  transportation.” 

The  government  of  the  Province  offers  to  guaranty  the  bonds  of  the 
company  equal  in  amount  to  one  half  of  the  cost  of  the  road.  The 
Provincial  securities  are  now  selling  in  London  at  about  107,  which  is 
equal  to  about  117  in  New  York,  or  17  per  cent  premium. 

The  subscriptions  to  this  stock  in  Canada  amount  to  about  one 
million  of  dollars.  The  company  have  appealed  to  the  various  rail 
road  companies  in  New  York  and  in  Michigan,  as  well  as  to  the  citizens 

those  states,  for  aid  to  complete  their  important  work.  A  million 
ind  a,  half  of  dollars,  in  addition  to  what  has  been  obtained,  with 
the  aid  promised  by  the  Canadian  Government,  will  be  sufficient.  Of 
this  amount  Michigan  is  asked  for  five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Can 
this  amount  be  raised?  Of  this,  there  is  not  the  least  doubt,  if  every 


12 


man  who  is  directly  benefited  by  opening  this  road  will  but  subscribe 
a  tithe  of  his  real  ability. 

In  New  York,  not  only  her  citizens  favor  this  road  as  an  important 
link  in  the  easy  communication  with  the  West,  but  the  legislature, 
with  that  wise  forsight  which  invited  the  trade  of  the  West  through 
that  state  by  constructing  the  Erie  canal,  has  authorized  the  rail  roads 
to  take  stock  in  the  Great  Western  Company,  under  the  belief  that  it 
will  be  greatly  to  her  advantage.  In  this  New  York  is  not  mistaken. 

In  our  state  the  Central  Company  has  asked  the  same  privilege  of 
the  legislature.  We  think ,  in  an  enterprize  so  important  to  our  slate 

as  the  speedy  construction  of  this  road ,  the  legislature  should  pass}  if 
practicable ,  a  law  authorizing  any  rail  road  or  other  corporation  in 
this  state ,  to  subscribe  for  stock  in  this  company ,  who  can  be  induced 
to  do  it.  It  is  true,  the  money  is  to  be  expended  in  Canada,  but  it 
will  be  seen  by  reference  to  what  we  have  already  said,  Michigan  will 
save  the  amount  of  subscription  asked  for  in  a  single  year,  and  the  stock, 
as  an  investment,  will  always  produce  a  large  return  in  the  way  of  divi¬ 
dends.  It  has  often  been  remarked,  and  with  truth,  too,  that  the 
construction  of  the  Erie  canal  had  a  greater  effect  on  the  Western  States 
than  on  New  York,  and  the  same  thing  will  be  seen  by  the  completion 
1  of  this  road.  On  the  completion  of  this  road,  we  shall  be  within  24 
hours  of  New  York  city  throughout  the  year.  We  shall  have  no  winter 
'  to  close  up  our  navigation.  No  season  when  we  cannot  reach  our 
great  market — no  time  when  we  are  shut  out  from  our  intercourse 
with  New  York.  Michigan  will  then  occupy  the  enviable  position  of 
one  of  the  most  favored  states.  Detroit  is,  by  the  located  lines  of  this 
railway,  only  fifty-three  miles  farther  from  Niagara  Falls  than  Cleve¬ 
land  is  from  Buffalo,  and  is  fifty-two  miles  nearer  than  Toledo,  and 
seventy- two  miles  nearer  than  Monroe,  if  her  outlet  is  by  the  way  of 
Toledo  round  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie.  In  truth ,  it  may  be  stated 
as  a  well  settled  fact ,  that  no  portion  of  Michigan  can  afford  to  go  by 
the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  to  Mew  York ,  if  they  can  have  a  rail¬ 
way  connecting  with  the  Canada  road.  From  Detroit  to  New  York  city 
by  this  route,  it  is  six  hundred  and  ninety  miles,  while  from  Toledo 
it  is  seven  hundred  and  forty-five  miles.  It  is  a  comparison  of  these 
routes,  the  data  all  being  taken  from  the  reports  of  engineers,  that  has 
compelled  us  to  say,  that  it  is  for  the  interest  of  every  county  in  Michi¬ 
gan — of  all  our  business  men  wherever  located — to  have  this  road 
through  Canada  completed.  Michigan  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  ad¬ 
ditional  expense  of  the  long  route ,  if  she  can  possibly  get  the  short  one . 

The  tide  of  emigration  which  has  so  long  passed  by  us,  will  pass 
through  our  state.  Instead  of  sending  an  agent  to  New  York  to 
show  the  great  advantages  of  our  state,  we  shall  have  the  active  ener¬ 
gy  of  sixty  millions  of  capital  invested  in  rail  roads  in  New  York  to 
work  for  us.  Under  such  a  stimulus  we  may  expect  our  population 
to  double  in  the  next  ten  years.  Capital  will  flow  in  upon  us,  rail 
roads  will  be  constructed,  and  manufactories  established  far  beyond 
what  it  would  now  be  deemed  prudent  or  safe  to  predict,  lest  we 
might  be  deemed  visionary. 


13 


The  effect  upon  the  state  would  be  almost  magical.  The  increased 
line  of  rail  roads,  which  it  would  very  materally  aid  to  bring  into  ex¬ 
istence,  would  probably  amount  to  almost  as  much  more  as  we  have 
now.  The  Detroit  and  Pontiac  road  would  'be  extended  across  the 
state — a  road  to  Port  Huron  would  undoubtedly  be  constructed,  and 
the  Central  railway  would  require  a  double  track  immediately,  to  ac¬ 
commodate  the  vast  increase  of  business,  which  would  require  an  outlay 
of  at  least  four  millions  of  capital  And  a  road  would  sooner  or  later 
be  constructed  from  some  point  upon  the  southern  road  to  connect 
with  the  Canada  road. 

The  tax  of  the  Central  road  with  a  double  track,  would  be  eighty 
thousand  dollars  a  year,  a  sum  sufficient  to  meet  all  the  current  ex¬ 
penses  of  our  state,  while  the  tax  on  the  increased  capital  invested  in 
railways  in  Michigan  would  furnish  all  the  sinking  fund  required  to 
liquidate  our  public  debt,  without  a  dollar  tax  being’  levied  upon  the 
people.  With  all  these  facts  staring  us  in  the  face,  when  not  only  the 
interests  of  the  state,  but  of  every  individual  almost  in  it,  requires  this 
road  to  be  built,  shall  we  hesitate  about  taking  hold  of  this  in  earn¬ 
est?  Do  not  let  us,  by  any  sectional  orlocal  jealousies  defeat,  or  delay 
the  speedy  completion  of  this  work.  Do  not  let  us  impose  a  restric¬ 
tion  or  condition  upon  any  company,  rail  road  or  otherwise,  that 
desires  to  aid  this  enterprize,  which  will  defeat  or  delay  it.  The  stock¬ 
holders  who  invest  their  money,  must  decide  upon  the  route,  and  if 
legislative  restriction  confines  them  to  a  ^particular  line,  or  compels  a 
change  of  routes,  it  endangers,  if  it  does  not  defeat  the  whole  work, 
to  the  great  injury  of  the  public,  and  without  any  benefit  to  the  partic¬ 
ular  locality  sought  to  be  favored  by  legislation.  The  delay  of  even  one 
year,  from  any  such  cause,  ‘-is  paying  too  dear  for  the  whistle.”  The 
legislature  is  now  in  session— it  will  not  be  again,  probably,  in  two 
years.  Let  them  pass  such  a  law  as  will  enable  any  and  all  corpora¬ 
tions  or  associations  to  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  this  road,  and  then 
let  every  individual  act  thoroughly  and  efficiently. 

,  T1he.rre  _is  no  difficulty  in  procuring  the  necessary  subscription  to  the 
stock,  it  the  truth  is  only  laid  before  those  having  the  means.  Detroit 
alone  can  subscribe  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  pay  it  without 
any  inconvenience.  There  are  more  than  five  hundred  persons  in 
this  city,  who  could  each  subscribe,  and  pay  in  the  year,  for  four  shares 
a  piece,  without  scarcely  knowing  it — while  there  are  many  others  who 
can  subscribe  large  amounts,  and  we  have  no  doubt  will  do  so  when 
they  come  to  look  into  the  whole  subject,  and  give  it  that  consideration 
which  its  importance  to  the  state  demands. 


